Depending on when you decide to start counting, Steve Alford's mea culpa was late by either nine days or 11 years.

Since leaving New Mexico to become UCLA basketball's 13th coach less than two weeks ago, the 48-year-old has faced intense criticism concerning his defense of Iowa star Pierre Pierce in 2002.

Then playing for Alford as a Hawkeyes sophomore, Pierce was faced with third-degree sexual assault charges and suspended from the team. However, Alford repeatedly proclaimed Pierce's innocence, even doing so less than a week before the point guard pleaded to a reduced misdemeanor.

A University of Iowa official report then stated that Alford's comments "implied that he disbelieved and discredited the claims of the student victim, and his words were perceived as reflecting insensitivity to issues of sexual assault and sexual violence."

Pierce was later imprisoned on separate charges that included assault with intent to commit sexual assault.

On Thursday, nine days after he was introduced at Pauley Pavilion, Alford issued an apology through a news release.

"At that time, I instinctively and mistakenly came to his defense before knowing all the facts," Alford said in his statement. "I wanted to believe he was innocent, and in response to a media question, I publicly proclaimed his innocence before the legal system had run its course.

"This was inappropriate, insensitive and hurtful, especially to the young female victim involved, and I apologize for that. I have learned and grown from that experience and now understand that such proclamations can contribute to an atmosphere in which similar crimes go unreported and victims are not taken seriously."

Of course, Alford could have said something similar when asked about the incident during his official introduction to the Los Angeles media April 2. Instead, he offered little contrition and deferred to his former bosses at Iowa.

"All I can tell you with that situation is that I followed everything that the University of Iowa, the administration, the lawyers that were hired - I did everything I was supposed to do at the University of Iowa in that situation," Alford said. "I followed everything that I was told to do."

That same day, athletic director Dan Guerrero defended Alford and said the new coach deserved a "clean slate" for something that had happened more than a decade ago.

He echoed that sentiment again Thursday.

"I was aware of this situation when we hired Steve and concluded that although he made an error in judgment 11 years ago, he had learned and grown from that experience," Guerrero said in a statement. "Our evaluation was based on his entire career, both on and off the court, and that is what led us to make our decision that he was the right coach for UCLA."